Big news in the local pizza scene today: Patxi's, the local chain with an intense dedication to Chicago-style deep dish "pizza," will now be serving thin crust pies. By adding the "traditional Italian style pizza crust" to their menu of thick, delicious, lasagna-esque monstrosities, it would seem Patxi's has finally admitted what pizza purists have known all along: that Chicago-style is no pizza at all.

The new menu elaborates for the pizza aficionados:

Made with extra fine ‘Double Zero’ flour and hand pulled to perfection. Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, this is a new take on a traditional Italian style pizza crust.

As GrubStreet notes, the seven-outlet local chain doesn't go as far as to classify the new menu options under the "Neapolitan" style pies that doughy diehards love to rave about. That's because without a real wood-fired oven and about 900 degrees of crust-crisping heat, it would just be disrespectful to the people of Naples.

In addition to the larger menu, Eater notes the chain will also be expanding their pizza empire eastward to Denver later this month, then to Livermore in 2013. Bringing them up to a grand total of 10 outlets.

Note: As Patxi's PR (and at least one commenter) remind us Patxi's has offered thin crust in the past. They're just changing the recipe to keep up with these fast paced pizza times.

[EaterSF]
[GrubSF]